Roger Martin

My Story

Hello Dr Potgieter, Bariatric Surgery Support Team and all my Friends:

It has been 1 Year [ 17 07 2008 ] since my roux – en – y gastric by pass performed by Dr Potgieter. My weight has dropped from 162 kg on the morning of my procedure to 103 kg.

I cannot wait to go into double digits – Dr Potgiter and I agreed that my weight should settle at about 90kg by Christmas 2009.

Since my surgery so much has changed for me

It was a huge decision to take. Driven by desperation and a will to change my life completely, closing up an architectural and design studio with 12 staff after been in the industry for 35 years, selling my house and studio, having to euthanize my

beloved 13 year old staffie and a 6 month old french bulldog [ toxic hepatitis ] – I found myself in a space that allowed me to reinvent myself emotionally and physically. Along with the support of the medical team and my sister, I committed to the emotional and physical change that I needed to completely reinvent myself.

After the roux – en – y gastric bypass I left South Africa to start a new life in Mauritius. There I could be anybody I wanted to be. I did not have to be nice to anybody so that I would be accepted because people had thought that because I was overweight I was lazy or stupid. I did not have to work hard to be clever, funny or friendly: people look at me differently now. Or don’t look at me at all!

Strangers do not have a preconceived idea any more – at 104 kg I blend into the crowd – I disappear – I lose myself.

The biggest fear I always had was the sense of loss. And when I had to say good bye to my 2 dogs within 3 months of each other I realized that some times you have to lose to move on. It is the same with loosing the kilograms – you have to

open yourself to be able to lose the weight. You have to be prepared to be vulnerable and fragile. The loss of the weight frees you and allows you to chose a way forward and leave the part of you that you don’t want, behind.

I am no longer on any prescription drugs. My cardiologist has taken me off my hypertension medication as I no longer suffer form hypertension. My cholesterol is in the desirable zone.

My eating habits have changed. Eating out of frustration, anger, disappointment,boredom and simply because of food been so easily accessible has all changed.

In Mauritius there is no Woolies and very few specialty delis – you buy what you need for the next day or two from the local market and that is the way I live now.

Fresh seasonal vegetables and fruit grown in the area, some chicken and fish from time to time makes up my diet.

Not great on exercise, I do walk occasionally and managed a 10 km hike thru the mountain reserve on the island. It nearly killed me and I will only do 5km in future.

The entire process of the transition is complex and extraordinary. I am sure that it may be more difficult to do this in an environment that one is familiar with. The relationships you have with your partner, work colleagues and friends changes,most importantly the relationship you have with yourself changes and it gives you the opportunity to clean out and change anything you want to change. After this operation you go back into life differently – it’s as if the doctors operated on your mind and not your body!

Archives

Archives

‘Love Your Body’ to Lose Weight

Almost a quarter of men and women in England and over a third of adults in America are obese. (In South Africa statistics on the percentage of overweight and obese people indicate that obesity and its co-morbidities are on the increase, with Cape Town leading the way!) Obesity increases the risk of diabetes and heart disease and can significantly shorten a person's life expectancy. New research published by BioMed Central's open access journal International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity shows that improving body image can enhance the effectiveness of weight loss programs based on diet and exercise.

Researchers from the Technical University of Lisbon and Bangor University enrolled overweight and obese women on a year-long weight loss program. Half the women were given general health information about good nutrition, stress management, and the importance of looking after yourself. The other half attended 30 weekly group sessions (the intervention plan) where issues such as exercise, emotional eating, improving body image and the recognition of, and how to overcome, personal barriers to weight loss and lapses from the diet were discussed. On the behavioral intervention plan women found that the way they thought about their body improved and that concerns about body shape and size were reduced. Compared to the control group they were better able to self-regulate their eating and they lost much more weight, losing on average 7% of their starting weight compared to less than 2% for the control group. Dr Teixeira from Technical University of Lisbon, who led the research, said, "Body image problems are very common amongst overweight and obese people, often leading to comfort eating and more rigid eating patterns, and are obstacles to losing weight. Our results showed a strong correlation between improvements in body image, especially in reducing anxiety about other peoples' opinions, and positive changes in eating behavior. From this we believe that learning to relate to your body in healthier ways is an important aspect of maintaining weight loss and should be addressed in every weight control program."

Motivation

incred Medical Finance

Also known as bariatric surgery, weight loss surgery constitutes a number of procedures all with one goal in mind being weight loss for the patient suffering from obesity. Along with this primary goal, other effects from such procedures are an improvement in cardiovascular functions and decrease in associated risk or even full recovery from diabetes. The procedures involved can either make use of specific apparatus or even altering of the digestive organs.

Rules for Successful Dieting

Follows five basic rules:

Rule One: Eat Your Target Protein Every Day

By consuming the minimum amount of protein for your body, you maintain energy, muscle mass, and keep your hunger in check.Rule Two: Take Your Supplements Every Day
The daily nutritional supplements we prescribe to you will have a positive effect on your long-term health, energy, and longevity. Rule Three: Drink Water Every Day
As your body burns calories, waste products are released through urine. Drinking at least 64 ounces of water daily helps release these waste products so they don’t build up and slow your metabolism.Rule Four: Continue an Exercise Program
Getting the right amount of exercise is an essential part of successful long-term weight control and total well-being. Rule Five: Be Consistent with Your Diet
If you stick to your daily eating prescription and keep your caloric intake consistent from day to day, you increase your chances of maintaining your optimal weightGet your Maintenance Diet Plan today contact our resident Dietitian:Judy Kotze - Dietitian Special interest: Bariatric Nutrition BSc (Dietetics) - Diploma in Hospital Dietetics M (Nutrition) Durbanville Medi-Clinic Tel: 27-21 975 2336 Fax 27-21 9752692 Mobile: 083 254 0919

Dr Etienne Swanepoel – Surgical Solution

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Bariatric Surgery Support (BSS) is a Cape Town based Support Group for people seeking information and Support about Weight-Loss Surgery. We deal with a host of pre and post operation issues aimed at facilitating your journey to a healthier life style.

Cosmetic Surgery Finance

First Health Finance offers medical payment plans to patients unable to afford a medical procedure, or where their medical aid does not cover the procedure. The offering is a specialised medical loan and is not in any way connected to a medical aid. Read More

Key Lifestyle Changes with Weight Loss Surgery

Some of the most important lifestyle changes to adapt to after weight loss surgery include:

* Slowly increasing physical activity
* Assessing and logging in daily food intake
* Undergoing counseling to adapt to the changing body image
* Eliminating social situations that promote overeating
* Tackling any emotional issues that triggered overeating with a therapist
* Making time to prepare special foods and meals to complement a healthier lifestyle